GSK to ‘phase out’ manufacture of active ingredients at UK plant, 200 jobs cut
The decision will see approximately 200 positions cut away at the facility in Cumbria, UK. However, the company stated it would maintain its cephalosporins antibiotics business, which will see 150 roles kept on at the same site.
A spokesperson for GSK told us, “Following a review of our cephalosporins antibiotics business announced last year, we have decided to retain this business, which continues to grow strongly, and redesign the supply chain to improve efficiency and reliability. However, we have decided to phase out the manufacturing of active ingredients for sterile injections at our Ulverston site.”
GSK confirmed the announcement would have no impact on the supply of products currently produced at the facility.
The decision has made for a tumultuous time for workers at the facility – as recently as 2014, there had been major plans to create a biomanufacturing facility alongside its existing presence in Ulverston, only for this to be withdrawn last year.
At the time, the company stressed the decision was not as a result of the Brexit referendum and, in an emailed statement, GSK reaffirmed that this was also the case in this most recent move.
The Ulverston announcement is the most recent restructuring news for GSK, following site closures in Ireland and Bangladesh earlier this year.
